Seat and mattress construction



Oct. 21, 1941. A. T. REYNOLDS ET AL 2,259,534

SEAT AND MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION 7 Filed Sept. 12, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 1 NTORS fry/V0495 L/AM f7 7'005 j AITORNEYS Oct. 21, 1941. 1-. REYNOLDS ETAL 2,259,534

SEAT AND MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 12, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 21, 1941. v A.-T. REYNOLDS -r AL 2,259,534

SEAT AND MATTRESS CQMS'I'RUC'I'IQN I I Filed Sept. 12, 1938 3 Shets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 21, 1941 UNlTED s'rAT z azsass f SEAT AND MATTRESS CONSTBIlCTION Arthur T. Reynolds, Brooklyn, N. Y., and F. Tod, Badburn Fairlawn, N. J. v

Application September 12, less, .Serial No. 229,530

I 4 Claims. This invention relates to improvements in the art of utilizing sponge rubber in the construc-.

tion ofcushions for the seats and backs of chairs and sofas and the resilient supports therefor and ports therefor. V

Among the modern materials used in the upe holstering of chairs, sofas and similar articles I of furniture, and even for mattresses for beds and couches, are various forms of sponge rubber, one of the most satisfactory of these forms be-* ing that made directly from liquid latexand having interconnected air cells connected also to the exterior atmosphere. This form ofLsponge rubber,.or latex sponge," as it is usually called, has

been molded into various designs .and shapes of cushions, supported in various manners, but the. most of these designs have either been of a' spe'-' be adaptable to a wide variety of uses.

'A further object of the inventionls to pro- I vide a construction for the purposes aforementioned which, while it is as comfortable and as rallient as prior types of sponge rubber con- .structions intendedfor the same uses, will on the whole require less, of the sponge rubber; to

secure the desired results.v The invention also aims to provide a construction for the purposes aforementioned, utilizing sponge rubber for the cushioning and resilient supporting features thereof, which will avoid the tendency to the jelly-like movements which characterize some vof the sponge rubber seat and mattress construe tions ,heretofore known and which will more narly approximate the cushioning and resilient supporting effects of upholsteredseats or mat- .tresses and springs of the best ofother-types of 45 construction. 7

The improved construction of cushion and resilient support therefor of the presentinvention makes possible theutilization thereof to improve bed and cot constructions; and a further object of the invention, therefore, is to provide improved bed andcot constructions in which sponge rubber is utilized for"'the' mattresses and for the resilient supports therefor.

the

Other obiects and important features of invention will appear from'the following description and claims.when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view, with parts brokenaway, of a chair having a slip seat embodying the present invention: a p

' Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 2a shows a modification of Figure 2; Figure 3 is a section, on the'line 3-3 of Fig. 5, of a chair provided with seat and back cushions constructed and mounted in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 is a plan'view, partly in section, of-

.thechairshowninFig.3;

Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 vofFig.3;- I,

Figure 6 is a rearfelevatlon, with parts broken away. of the chair shown in Figs. 3'and 5;

Figure 7 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of a mattress and spring construction em-. bodyingthe present invention; Figure 8 is a section on' the line 8-8 of Fig. '7;

Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective detail showing the provision between the mattress and its resilient support for the .tucking in of bed c1othes;. 'Figure 10 is a plan view of a three-section baby's crib mattresswith one section removed; and

, Figure'll is a section'through a crib provided with the three-section mattress of Figure 10.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in'Flgures 1,2 and 2a, which show it applied to 3 a slip seat for a ch'air,'a cushion 2, preferably of latex sponge having comparatively small interconnected air cells connected to the exterior atmosphere, is shown as supported principally on a diaphragm! of relatively stiff material, such 1 as ply-wood or the like, this diaphragm being preferably provided with numerous perforations l to permit the escape of the air pressed out of the cushion 2 when it is compressed and the entrance of new air when the cushion is to expand again, these perforations or holes, therefore, providing for aeration or ventilation of the cushionin'gmateriai. I J

- As illustrated, the --chair frame 8, with which the slip seatis to be used, isprovided with a seat frame 10 having a seat supporting ledge 12, pref-,

erably' extending along the four inner sides of the frame ll. On this ledge 12 is supported the resilient means ll forsupporting the diaphragm "*4 andwlth it thecushion 2-. This resilient means M is preferablyalso' sponge rubber and prefthan the corresponding dimensions of the cushion 2.

Since the resilient supporting means l4 and the projecting margin of the cushion 2 to engage each other where the resilient supporting rams ll overlaps the edge of the diaphragm, the c ion 2 and the resilient supporting means ll may,

if desired, be made integral with each other,

even though of different cell dimensions, as for example, by vulcanizing them together.-

An upholstery covering it may be applied in any-suitable manner, a convenient way of applying it, to permit easy -replacement,-being illustrated in Fig. 2, in which it is shown as brought-in beneath the resilient supporting means It and secured with snap fastenlngs i9 and 2|, the stationary parts 2| of the snap.fastenings being secured to the under side of the diaphragm 4.

The construction just described is suitable for chairs, sofas, benches, etc.

In Figuresfl .to 6, inclusive, is shown a modified chair construction having a loose seat cushion and a back cushion which bears against a swing panel. In this construction the latex sponge upon a portable frame ",of wood or other suitable material. The mattress proper 42, which is principally supported upon the diaphragm 4, is preferably of latex. sponge having the molded cellular construction, with comparatively large molded cells M.

To provide a further cushioning eifect and also to prevent any noise from the contact of the frame 40 with the bed slats 46, a strip ll of the latex sponge, preferably substantially circular in cross section, may be inserted in a groove IQ, of semi-circular cross-section,'in the frame 40.

If the mattress and associated springs are to be used with a double bed, it may be preferable, in order to avoid the tendency of a heavy weight upon one side to tilt the whole construc-- .tion in that direction, to provide a frame member 52 intermediate between the two side frame members and to provide two diaphragms' 4 having their inner edges supported by an intermediate double resilient support 54 of a construction similar to the resilient support it except that it has two rabbets for receiving the edges of two diaphrag'ms l. I

The mattress 42 and its spring support, comprising the resilient supporting means I! and the frame ill, may be so constructed as to form a cushion 20 is made as a separate unit covered with upholstering material but arranged to be supported principally upon a resilient supporting means substantially of the same construction as that described in connection with the. slip seat, that is, it comprises a diaphragm l of plywood orother relatively stiff material, preferably provided with air vents or perforations I, and

resilient supporting means It carried upon a supporting ledge l2 forming a part of the seat frame ll of thechair. 1

. As herein shown the cushion 2| will rest principally upon the diaphragm 4 but, by reason of its location in front of the back cushion 22, will be pushed forward somewhat so that the front edgeof the cushion 2. will overlap the frame lg. The back cushion 22 is also preferably of latex sponge construction and, as shown, its up pechihe dge 2l overlaps the back frame 22 of the To. se cure the desired cushioning eifect at the back, the back cushion 22 preferably bears principally against a diaphragm 22 of ply-wood or other relatively stiff material provided with the cross members 24 of the back frame, which may also be provided with perforations It to permit escape and entrance of air, these perforations preferably registering with the molded cells a of the resilient support 32.

In Figures "I, 8 and 9 the invention is shown as applied to a mattress and spring construction for beds. To provide a removable spring construction, the resilient, supporting means ll,

which carries the diaphragm Q, is itself mounted single unit to be placed on and removed from.

the bed frame as a whole, or the mattress may be a separate unit removable from its spring support.

If formed as a combined unit of mattress and spring support, the ticking 58 will preferably cover both the mattress and the side and a partof the bottom of the spring supporttherefor and, to permit tucking in of the bed clothes between the mattress and the spring support, the mattress will preferably be cut away slightly near its edges to permit the ticking to be forced back into the slot thus formed between the side of the mattress and the spring support. The tucked-in loop of ticking can be held in position 1!: any suitable manner as, for example. by rods The construction hereinabove described of a combined cushion unit and resilient supporting means therefor iinds a new utility in the construction of babies cribs. As shown in- Figs. 10 and 11, a crib frame II is provided with four transverse supports 62 to support three combined mattress and spring units, each made up of a cushion 2, diaphragm 4 and resilient supventilating holes or perforations O and this diameans I and-secured by snap I wporting means (the cushionj2 and resilient supporting means it being preferably formed as one unit, as hereinabovesuggestedt Each of these units is covered with a suitable covering ll .of ticking or any other suitable material which is brought around beneath the,resilient.supporting the under side of the diaphragm 4.

When the crib, as shown, requires three units to complete the mattress length. a fourth spare unit will be provided, which can be kept in reserve for an occasion when one of the other units has become wet, *usually the middle unit, thus permitting the wet unit to be removed, washed, sterilized and deodorized and the clean spare unit slipped into position to take its place.

Whatis claimedasnew is:

1. An article offurniture comprising, a cushion compoud of a mass of sponge rubber of the type having small intercommunicating cells throughout its mass and venting .to atmosphere, a bodily movable perforated diaphragm underlying and s pporting said cushion, sponge rubber resilient supporting means for said diaphragm having surfaces fitting against a portion of the bottom of i said diaphragm and against an edge thereof, and supporting means for said resilient supporting means, said last-named means acting to seal a I substantial portion of the surface of the sponge rubber resilient supporting means, whereby com pression of said resilient means by body weight on the article will cause expulsion of air from the cells of said sponge rubber resilient support and the expulsion will be damped by the sealing effect of the support for the resilient means.

2. A resilient seat for a cushioned article of furniture comprising, a cushion of sponge rubber of the type having small intercommunicating air cells which vent to atmosphere, a floating diaphragm underlying and supporting said cushion, said diaphragm having perforations therein in registry with only a portion of. the air vents on the underside ofthe cushion, a, resilient support for said diaphragm, said support having surfaces fitting about themarginal portions and edges of said diaphragm to cushion the floating action thereof, said resilient support having air spaces therein, and rigid means for supporting said cells which vent to atmosphere, a floating diaresilient support, he surfaces of said rigid means said resilient means upon compression thereof. 3. A resilient seat for a cushioned article of furniture comprising, a cushion of sponge rubber serving to limit the rate of egress of air from of the type having small interc'ommunicating air cells which vent to atmosphere, a relatively still faces of said rigid means serving to limit the rate' of egress of air from said resilient means upon compression thereof.

4. A resilient seat 'for'a cushioned article of furniture comprising, a cushion of sponge rubber Q of the type having small intercommunicating air phragm underlying and supporting said cushion, said diaphragm having perforations therein in registry with only a portion of the air vents on the underside of the cushion, a sponge rubber support notched to receive the marginal portions of the underside ofsaid diaphragm and the edges thereof to cushion the floating action, said sponge rubber support having air spaces therein ventmg to atmosphere, and rigid means for supportingsaid resilient support, the surfaces of. said rigid means covering at least half of the surface of the sponge rubber support to limit the rate of egress of air therefrom upon compression thereof.

ARTHUR T. REYNOLDS.

, wru ma F. TODE. 

